A candlelight vigil was held in Plattsburgh Thursday evening to honor a woman killed in mid-July and to raise awareness about domestic violence services in the region.
On July 14th, 45-year-old Monique Yanulavich was found dead in her car in a parking lot in the town of Plattsburgh. An autopsy determined she died from multiple stab wounds and authorities ruled her death a homicide.
Women and men gathered at dusk to remember Monique, who died after trying to leave an abusive relationship.
Stop Domestic Violence of Clinton Franklin and Essex Counties helped organize the vigil. Reece Sharron, an intern at the organization, knew her.
“Monique was a really close family friend to my mom and she was like a mom growing up to me," remembers Sharron. "The family did know about Monique’s situation. My mom was aware. Her friends were aware. Her daughter was aware and they were all very active on trying to keep her out, trying to keep her from talking. But again none were aware of the services really until I started interning and that’s when they all became aware of it. By then Monique was already back in New York escaped from her abuser but he, he followed up here. The chances of dying at the hands of your abuser goes up 70 percent when you leave or when you’re trying to leave.”
Some of those who gathered have experienced similar tragedies. Jim Langlois of West Chazy stood apart from the crowd remembering Monique and a similar event with his granddaughter.
“I think it was about a year ago today my granddaughter was, went through this. She died. She was living down in North Carolina. So." Langlois pauses, "I knew Monique. She was our neighbor for quite a few years. She used to babysit my kids when they were young and I know her father very well, worked with him up at Dannemora prison and so they’re almost like family.”
His granddaughter’s mother, Sandra Langlois, was on the other side of the monument quietly contemplating.
“I reached out to her and I saw some signs but in her eyes I was wrong," recalls Langlois. "Even now, it’s been a year, it was just a year on the 15th of August and it’s still, it will never go away. It will never. The loss of a child is just so devastating. I don’t wish it on anybody old or young or anybody.”
Stop Domestic Violence members distributed brochures about their services and Community Educator Brianna Reeves says they have a number of resources available.
“Depending on what someone is looking for is kind of what we can do. On average it actually takes seven times to leave an abusive partner. So maybe someone’s on time three of trying to leave but you know that feeling of love is still taking over rather than the thought of I could die," says Reeves. "So sometimes it’s just that supportive counseling, being that person, that safety plan so it’s if you do need to get out where can you put your wallet so that you have it. Where can you put your car keys? And just having that kind of game plan in the back of your mind for the what-ifs. We can assist with things like orders of protection, even custody. We do have confidential safe housing. But it kind of starts wherever the client’s at. So whatever they’re ready to do, we’ll figure out a way to do it.”
Anyone who needs help or support can call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 888-563-6904.
On July 29th an arrest warrant was issued for 47-year-old Larry Hicks Jr. of North Carolina, whom police say is responsible for Monique Yanulavich’s death. Hicks fled New York and was last seen boarding a bus in Corpus Christi, Texas headed for Brownsville, Texas.
